About

Lutra City Mysteries is an episodic series of point and click adventure
games for Windows, MacOS, and Linux that puts you in the role of a detective in 1940's film noir. It's based on the series of games by the same name within Second Life and will feature many of the familiar characters and locations from those games.

As with the Second Life version, the first episode will be "The Delinquent Daughter" in which you, a private detective, will be tasked with finding a missing girl. However, you'll soon discover that all is not as it appears to be as there are shadowy forces at work in Lutra City.

These games are longer and more fleshed out than their Second Life counterparts, with all new puzzles and challenges. If you've played the Second Life version, you'll find this story takes a very different turn. Can you crack the case?

Features

Dedication to Authenticity. Our goal is to produce true film noir games from the visual style to dialog, plot, and music. These are games that renowned film noir directors John Huston, Billy Wilder, or Edward Dmytryk might have made if they could have made video games.

Engaging Story. Story telling is the primary component that sets a point and click adventure game apart from other genres. You will find here complex stories with all the twists and turns, mystery and intrigue you should expect.

Quality Game Design. You can expect well designed puzzles that are an integral part of the story and require your wits to solve, with sometimes multiple possible solutions depending on how you approach the problem.

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Inspiration

We are inspired by two things to make this game. The first is our love
of point and click adventure games and the second our love of mysteries
and detective stories from the film noir era.

While we enjoy a range of different games, point and click adventures will always be our favorite. There is simply no other genre of game that is able to flesh out the characters as fully, tell stories as rich and complex, and present challenges that are as intricate, perplexing, and ultimately satisfying once they are solved.

The complex characters, tricky situations, and unfolding mystery of film noir are a perfect match for the strengths of point and click adventures. While watching classic noir films, it has often occurred to us that a scene or situation would make an excellent adventure game puzzle, and the exploratory and character-focused nature of adventure games fits nicely with the mystery and drama of film noir.

A Blend of the Old and the New

The project takes inspiration from both the classic and the new crop of adventure games. The games will feature the wide variety of interactions possible in classic adventures which makes exploring the environment so much fun as there is a plethora of things to discover and unique messages as you try new things. and challenging puzzles!

It will also feature the interesting innovations in newer adventure games such as developing your character and thereby NPC reactions through your decisions and actions, and multiple choices as to how to approach a problem leading you down different paths.

Authentic Film Noir

We are excited to make games that are truly in the style of 1940's film noir, avoiding the caricature, cliches, and anachronisms that have crept into most modern interpretations. Having analyzed many of these classics, we strive to accurately capture the camera angles, lighting, dialog, mood, plots, and music.

As a player, you will experience the moral ambiguity of life as presented in the classic noir of Fritz Lang and John Huston. You will be faced with the choice between virtue and survival as in the classic This Gun for Hire, and make tough life decisions in a cold, unforgiving world as portrayed in The Face Behind the Mask.

What these games deliver will be a cinematic experience, uncluttered by UI elements so that you feel you are truly inside a classic noir film.

Distribution

The game will be available as a DRM-free download for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. We will also be attempting to get it distributed on gaming services such as Steam.

What We Need

So, let's get down to business. There are some additional things we need to finish this game and provide the level of polish that will make it outstanding. That's why we come to you.

Here's where the funding will go:

Additional 3D Modeling

Voice Talent

Graphic Design

Music

Animation

Marketing

Legal Fees

Kickstarter Fees

Our Stretch Goals

Multiple Characters. You will
have the option of choosing between a male or a female main character.
Some aspects of the game will be different depending on your choice.

Language Translation. The text of the game will be professionally translated into German and Spanish with subtitles available.

Full Voice Acting. The game will already have voice acting in cut scenes
no matter what. However, if this stretch goal is reached, every line in
the game will be voice acted (in English).

Story Branching. The game is already planned to allow a lot of free choice as to the order and method you proceed, and there will be some small changes to the game play experience based on your actions. However, if this goal is reached, there will be much more significant story branching such that your choices can affect the story in far more profound ways.

Original Soundtrack. If this goal is reached, the game will have a completely original soundtrack with all new music in the styles heard in 1940's film noir. Also, everyone who backed the project at any level will get a digital download of the soundtrack for free!

Character Builder. If this goal is reached, the game will feature a character creator in which you customize the look of the main character including body morphs and clothing.

Risks and challenges

There are always complications with any project, but this isn't just a game we hope to make. It's a game that is currently in active development and has been for 6 months. The setting, characters, and stories have been in development for over a year through the three games released in Second Life. Much of the gameplay mechanics are already in place and we know what it's going to take to finish this game because we're in the trenches with it right now.

The work is significant, but everyone working on this project has decades of software design and development experience behind them. We have already released a successful and popular series of adventure games within the world of Second Life, so we know we are able to design games with compelling stories and puzzles that people love to play. The scope of the project is reasonable and attainable with realistic game design and production goals.

You may wonder how $10,000 is enough to make this game. Well, it's not. We have already spent more than that of our own money developing this game, and it's likely we may spend that much more of our own money before it's all done even with the funds raised from this Kickstarter.

However, this Kickstarter funding will help us out greatly in providing the art, animations, voice over and other things we will need to make this the high quality game we know it can be.

This game will be finished regardless, but together we can make it outstanding.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $125 or more
About $125

Your Name in Game

Your name will be mentioned during the course of the game as someone the protagonist knows as either another detective, a criminal from a previous case, or a previous love interest. (your choice) Your name will appear in the credits as a character.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $200 or more
About $200

Write a Character

You can name a character and write your character's dialog lines and conversation responses (subject to approval to be in keeping with theme and tone) Your name will appear in the credits as a contributing writer.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

Game Designer

You will work with us to design a whole puzzle that will appear in the game for players to solve. (subject to approval to be in keeping with theme and tone) Your name will appear in the credits as a contributing designer.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,000 or more
About $2,000

You are a Character

You become a character in the game. Your likeness will be modeled and included as a character players can interact with. Write your character's dialog lines and conversation responses (subject to approval to be in keeping with theme and tone) Your name will appear in the credits as a character.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $4,000 or more
About $4,000

Executive Producer

You will be able to continually contribute to the ongoing development. You will be invited to company meetings and discussions, be able to give your input on works in progress and the ongoing development effort from start to finish. You will receive an Executive Producer credit in the opening and end credits.